Like a Fierce God
Reenvisioning the Enemy in the Legend of Empress Jingū in the Wake of the Mongol Invasions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3129596 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Emily B Simpson (0000-0002-4672-0164, Dartmouth College, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 695 |
| Publication date | 2022-07-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Religions (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/rel13080695 |
| OpenAlex | W4288700754 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 15 |
The legend of Empress Jingū's conquest of the Korean peninsula is well-known for its many divine elements. However, the legend's successful conquest of a foreign enemy has also been key to its longevity. In particular, the Mongol Invasions of the late thirteenth century inspired a renaissance of the Jingū legend in the fourteenth, with the addition of several new motifs. One such motif is Jinrin, a red demon with multiple heads and immense power from the continent who threatens Japan before being slain by Jingū's husband Emperor Chūai. In this paper, I argue that the Jinrin motif plays an important role in reenvisioning Jingū's conquest as a war against evil. Though Jinrin may have antecedents in the Buddhist Canon and Japanese mythology, this "fierce god" emerges in the medieval Hachiman tradition in origin narratives and later in regional kagura. Jinrin serves as a visual representation of the threat of the Korean kingdoms and an opportunity for Chūai's heroism and honorable death, creating a clear juxtaposition between a depraved Korean peninsula and an ethical Japan. Thus, Jinrin provides a vibrant example of how the belief in Japan as land of the gods (shinkoku shisō) galvanized a reinterpretation of Japan, its world, and its history
Aesthetics · Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Art history · CONQUEST · Emperor · Legend · Literature · Mythology · Peninsula · Reinterpretation · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Chinese history and philosophy · Classics · History · Japanese History and Culture · Philosophy
Challenging Paradigms
The Bloomsbury Handbook of Japanese Religions
Performing "Nation"
Rage and Ravage
Like Clouds or Mists
The discourse on the “Land of Kami” (shinkoku) in medieval Japan
Shamanic Dance in Japan
Lotus in the Mountain, Mountain in the Lotus
Empress Jingū
On Placating the Gods and Pacifying the Populace
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,33 |
| Citation span | 2023 - 2023 (1) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |